Triticale is a man-made cereal grain, a cross between wheat (Triticum spp.) and rye (Secale spp.). The nutritive value of triticale grain is midway between rye and wheat in terms of calorific value, and is higher than that of wheat and rye in terms of the amount of protein, and similar to parent forms in terms of the content of essential amino acids: lysine and threonine. Non-starch polysaccharides (mostly pentosans, glucans and pectins) are the factor limiting the application of triticale, especially in young birds. They decrease bird yield, produce viscous excreta and cause deterioration in litter quality. For those reasons, it is safer to use moderate amounts of this cereal in poultry diets.